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Intro to Tricky Words

Tricky Words

Based on English as your mother tongue, these words lists have been compiled by being observant.

Let me give you a few examples:

AGTER sounds like AFTER, and so you can guess that English speakers will want to use them as if they are the same. Yet, AGTER means BEHIND, and the closeness in meaning makes it tough. AFTER is NA.

DAN sounds like THEN and the two words are the same. Well, that is in the present and future tense, but here comes the catch. In the past tense, Afrikaans uses TOE. DAN is unwelcome in the the past. 

I think you get the idea of this section. Good luck! (Sterkte!)

Nog Woorde

Eers vs Eerste (first)

Eers: priority. Ek moet eers eet, dan kan ons praat.
Eerste: Order: Hy was eerste in die klas. Hy is die eerste persoon wat dit verstaan.

Op vs Aan (on)

If you can drop it, where it lands is OP, whereas on the side is AAN.

Poster: AAN die muur.
Deur: AAN die noorde kant van die huis.
DAK: Op die huis.

Studie vs Studeer vs Bestudeer

'n Studie van biologie help die dokters. Ja, die dokters studeer elke dag tot laat in die aand. Hulle bestudeer die ecoli bakterië.

Studie: A study (of a specific topic)
Studeer: To Study (the act in general)
Bestudeer: To make a study of (a focused research endeavor)